Guides
Mid-rent and the housing permit in Amsterdam
If you rent a mid-rent home in Amsterdam, you have needed a housing permit from the municipality since 1 July 2025. Without it, you are not allowed to live there. Here is when you need one, what the conditions are and how to make sure it doesn’t hold up your move.
What is mid-rent?
Since 1 July 2024, the points system (woningwaarderingsstelsel) applies to most rental homes. The number of points depends on things like size, energy label and facilities, and it decides which segment a home falls into and what the maximum rent is.
| Segment | Points | Maximum basic rent (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Social rent | up to 143 | €932.93 |
| Mid-rent | 144 to 186 | €1,228.07 |
| Private sector | 187 or more | no maximum |
When do you need a permit?
In Amsterdam you need a housing permit for every mid-rent home: a home with 144 to 186 points. For a private-sector home with 187 points or more, you don’t. For social rent from a housing association, the association arranges the permit.
Not sure which segment a home is in? Ask the landlord or agent for the points calculation. They should know.
Elsewhere in the Amsterdam region the rules are narrower. Amstelveen, Haarlem, Diemen and Zaanstad only require a permit for certain mid-rent homes, such as new builds or homes in designated areas. Check the rules of the municipality where the home is.
The conditions
- You are 18 or older and live in the Netherlands legally. If you are moving from abroad, keep your residence document ready.
- The gross annual income of your household stays below the limit. In 2026 that is €85,005 for one person and €93,531 for a household of two or more. The amounts change every year on 1 January.
- Moving from a social rental home to mid-rent? Then the income limit doesn’t apply to you.
How to apply
- Apply once you have agreed with the landlord on the home. You apply online with the municipality of Amsterdam.
- Keep these ready: your ID or residence document, proof of your income and the details of the home from the landlord. The municipality tells you in the application which documents it needs.
- The legal decision period is 8 weeks, which can be extended by 4 weeks. In practice the municipality usually decides within about two weeks.
- The landlord has to check that you have the permit before you move in.
Tips so it doesn’t delay your move
- Agree on a start date that leaves time for the permit.
- Ask for a clause in your lease that lets you end it if the permit is refused (a resolutive condition).
- Have your income documents ready before you start searching, so you can apply straight away.